


A Good Story

by Glitteringworlds



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Huddling For Warmth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-04
Updated: 2015-01-04
Packaged: 2018-03-05 08:06:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3112328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glitteringworlds/pseuds/Glitteringworlds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some really blatant, ridiculous fluff for the prompt of "Varric/Cassandra, getting separated from the group in Emprise du Lion, aka classic huddling for warmth scenario."</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Good Story

Cassandra was going to be having words with Cullen as soon as they arrived back at Skyhold.

Assuming they ever arrived back at Skyhold.

Crossing her arms and trying not to notice the sharp wind that had already turned her ears and cheeks bright red, Cassandra glared angrily at the setting sun. If she was being fair, it wasn’t exactly his fault. The bridge had seemed quite sturdy.

But that was before the dragon came crashing down in the middle of it.

Cassandra sighed, trying not to get to caught up in her frustrations. She would have time for that later, hopefully. She needed to focus on survival, which meant staying warm. Standing around waiting only slowed her down, gave the cold more of a chance to sneak in and pinch her nerves. They couldn’t afford that.

Pulling out her sword and trying to ignore how numb her fingers already were, Cassandra began going through her basic warm ups. She could feel the additional tension in her movements, the dragging fingers of cold that already had a firm grasp on her muscles. She did not often like to admit it, but she usually preferred to avoid the cold if she could. Normally it wasn’t too much of a problem, and if she knew she would be spending an extended period of time in a harsher climate, she would simply dress for the weather. But they hadn’t been planning to spend much time there, and she had dressed light. It was supposed to be a simple scouting mission, just to see whether or not the red templars had a hold in the area.

But then that blasted dragon had come. Cassandra gritted her teeth, thrusting at a nearby tree branch before pivoting on her heel to slash downward at another.

Varric had been the one to spot it. Technically the whole group had seen three of the creatures flying around earlier that day, but they had been far away then, no more than distant twisting shadows.

But Varric had been the one to see it descending on them. How it had gotten so close without anyone hearing it, Cassandra couldn’t say. But by the time Varric had grabbed her wrist to yank her forward, it was nearly upon them, angry claws ripping at the air in front of it. The entire bridge had shuddered as it landed, and Cassandra had tried to turn around to see what was happening, but Varric was still wrenching her onwards.

Lavellan had shouted something, had said… to keep running, that must have been it, considering what had happened.

By the time the first pillar gave out, they were halfway across the bridge, crumbling stones falling away three steps behind. Cassandra had picked up speed, passing Varric and dragging him along after her. He stumbled a few times, and she had just barely pulled him onto the last sturdy section of the bridge before it had all collapsed in a rush of smoke and noise and the receding flap of wings.

"Seeker?"

Varric’s voice came from behind her, and Cassandra finished her movement before dropping her arms to her side and turning to face him, breathless.

"Did you find anything?"

"Well, there’s a lot of snow out there."

Cassandra sighed, sheathing her sword. “And?”

"…ice?"

"So you were not able to find any shelter."

Varric crossed his arms. “Well, I didn’t say that. The problem is, most of it seems to be… occupied.”

"And what does that mean?"

"Well, we’ve got red templars," Varric said, counting things off on his fingers as he went, "some red templar horrors too, a couple of rifts with pride demons hanging out, and, of course, the dragons."

"They live over here?"

Varric shrugged. “From the looks of it. I could only find two though. One up there,” he explained, pointing to the open roof of one of the large buildings, “and the other one there.” 

So both of the nearest buildings were occupied. That was fine. They looked like they wouldn’t have provided much shelter.

"So what do we do now?" Cassandra watched him for a moment, then added, "and how are you holding up?"

"Me, Seeker? You know I’m fine."

Cassandra could tell he was lying. His face was red, as she was sure her own was, which meant that it was probably stinging and wind-burnt. He had been gone for at least an hour, and dodging demons and red templars must have made his route that much more difficult. At least he had been smart enough to ware something less revealing than his usual getup.

"Varric, posturing does neither of us any good right now. We need to-"

"Listen, I’m not any worse than you are. Anyway, we should be going."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. “Going where exactly? I thought you hadn’t found anything but things that would try and kill us.”

"Such little faith! I said the buildings were mostly occupied. See the ruins over in the North East?"

Squinting into the growing dark, Cassandra could just make out the building that Varric meant. It was larger than the other two he had pointed out, but seemed like it would provide even less in the way of shelter.

"What about it?"

"It looks like there’s a path that leads straight down into it. It’s kind of set into the cliff wall, and I think it might offer some protection from the wind. It’s better than standing around out here, at least."

Cassandra had to agree with that. With the sun setting, the cold would only get worse, and they might as well start moving towards some sort of destination. Trying to sleep out in the open would most likely get them killed, either by templar patrols, or simply by the weather.

"Okay. Let’s go."

They set out, Varric a few feet ahead of her, trudging along a circuitous route that wove through the various hazards that he had mentioned earlier. She stared at his feet as she followed him, neither of them talking. There was nothing much they could have said anyway. Even Varric’s usual wit seemed like it had been stripped a bit bare. 

The Inquistion was surely looking for them. Cassandra knew there was supposed to be a road leading to this area from the other side, but the Inquistion didn’t have control of it yet. Which meant time, time for them to carve out a path, time for them to rid the area of red templars. And time wasn’t something that Cassandra and Varric had a great deal of at the moment, unless they could find someplace to sleep for the night.

Varric stopped at the edge of the path, and Cassandra nearly tripped over him. She squinted down, trying to make out the way down. She could see some rough steps leading forward into the darkness, though where exactly they lead, Cassandra couldn’t be sure.

"You’re sure this is safe?"

She could just make out Varric shrugging, his back to her. “Do you have any better ideas?”

They made it about halfway down before Cassandra’s feet slipped out from under her, and she landed hard on her back.

Varric turned when he heard her quiet gasp as she fell, carefully moving up to her. “You okay?”

She lifted herself up a bit, pressing her hand to her forehead. The cold, snow-covered tips of her gloves made her flinch. “I’m fine.”

"Did you hit your head?"

"I said I was fine."

Varric heaved a frustrated sigh. “Sorry, I’m not really inclined to trust your personal assessment of ‘fine’ sometimes.”

He sat back, doing something with his hands that she couldn’t quite make out. Brushing herself off, Cassandra got ready to stand up when she suddenly felt something on the back of her head.

"What are you doing?"

"I’m trying to see if you are bleeding."

It was his hand, combing through her hair, lightly running down the nape of her neck.

Cassandra shivered.

"I told you I was fine, Varric. I didn’t hit my head." She added, softer, "now but your glove back on before your fingers freeze off."

He didn’t say anything, but he backed off, standing up from where he had been kneeling beside her. She stood as well, moving ahead of him. A few steps down, she half-turned back.

"Varric?"

"Right behind you, Seeker."

They took the rest of the walk down more carefully. Cassandra feeling out each step before shifting her weight. She called back to Varric regularly, checking that he was following behind her, and letting him know where the particularly icy patches were.

At the bottom of the steps, Cassandra peered into the darkness, trying to make out the edges of the building she has seen from afar. She shuffled forward, moving carefully until it suddenly loomed up over her.

"Home sweet home," Varric muttered beside her.

Cassandra took a few steps inside. “You were right though. It is good protection from the wind. It seems warmer, too.” She stopped, her hand on the wall, thinking.

Varric seemed to sense something was one her mind. “What is it?”

"You said both of the other large buildings in this area were occupied, correct?"

"Yeah, what’s your-"

A low rumble shook through the rocks, and they both froze in place.

"Shit."

"It appears that this one is occupied as well."

They both stood in the entrance, as the sounds continued regularly.

"What is that noise, anyway? Is it…"

"Sleeping," Cassandra supplied. "It is asleep." She moved cautiously forward. The path continued up to a wide area. The dragon was curled up on the other side of the opening.

Back in the doorway still, Varric hissed at her in a whisper. “What are you doing?”

She turned back to face him. “Would you rather go back outside and freeze to death?”

Varric was silent, but he shuffled forward until he was next to her again. “Freeze out there or get fried in here. What delightful choices.”

"Dragons are notoriously heavy sleepers," Cassandra mused. "Sometimes they will rest for days. If this is the one we met earlier, there is a good chance she won’t wake up any time soon."

"Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

Varric’s sheer disbelief made her smile in the darkness. It was somehow satisfying to be the one presenting the unbelievable plans for once. 

"It is warm, is it not? Or at least, warmer than it is out there."

"Listen, Seeker, I know you and your family are old buddies with these things, but some of us aren’t quite as comfortable curling up with a giant death lizard."

"I am hardly suggesting that we curl up with it, Varric. And don’t worry, I will protect you if the scary lizard wakes up."

"Big talk coming from someone who probably has a concussion."

"I told you that I didn’t hit my head."

"Yeah, well, you also said you hated my writing, and we all know how that worked out."

Cassandra rolled her eyes in the darkness, choosing not to take that bait. Instead she started feeling along the wall for a crevice to slip into. Varric trailed reluctantly behind her.

She was about a quarter of the way around the edge when she found something suitable. A large rock jutted out from the side, forming a divot in the wall just big enough to squeeze into. She stepped back.

"Here."

Varric stared at her for a moment. “You’re sure about this?”

"The temperature is only going to drop. This is our best chance."

Making up his mind, he moved past her, settling back into the rocks. Cassandra watched him, glancing over at the dragon. The way the rock sat may have made for a good protected space, but it also cut off their line of sight, as well as any method of escape. If the dragon did wake up, it could have them pinned down in seconds.

Cassandra settled herself back against the rocks, eyes fixed on the sleeping dragon.

"Come on, Seeker, I know it’s a small space, but I don’t smell that bad.”

"It’s not… I want to keep my eye on the dragon. I told you that this was our best bet, and I am not about to let my guard down and get us eaten for it. Now go to sleep."

"Oh, and what about you? Just planning on staying up all night? Is not needing sleep part of your Seeker training too?" His voice was loaded with an annoyed sarcasm.

"I will just take the first watch. I will wake you in a few hours."

"Yeah, right, and Solas is going to teach me how to walk the Fade in my dreams. Listen, Seeker… Cassandra."

The sound of her name made her turn over to Varric. He was leaning forward, though she couldn’t make out his expression.

"If that thing wakes up and notices us, we are screwed anyways, right? So just come here and get some sleep. It will be warmer if we stay… close, anyway."

He reached for her hand, tugging at in gently. She almost pulled away, but stopped herself. Varric was right, and she would prove nothing by arguing with him, aside from her own stubbornness. 

There was just enough room for Cassandra to slip in beside him, though she had to bend over nearly in half to do so. They were pressed leg to leg, with barely enough room to shift positions at all, and she laid her head on her knees, trying fruitlessly to get comfortable.

After a moment’s hesitation, she leaned in towards Varric, laying her head on his chest.

He lifted his arm and pulled her closer, draping it around her without a word.

It was warmer there, and between his heat and the wisps of hot air that floated through the cave on the dragon’s breath, Cassandra could feel some of her fears of not making it through the night ebb away. That is, assuming they didn’t get eaten.

"Varric," she said, after a few minutes. "Thank you for… trusting me. I know this is hardly an ideal situation."

"Well, it will make for a good story, at least. Besides, I’ve trusted you with my life for a while now. It’s your own I don’t trust you with."

Cassandra laughed quietly, though the sentiment expressed within the joke was not lost on her.

She drifted off to sleep thinking about that. She knew that she and Varric were on better terms these days, but not constantly shouting at each other was different than worrying about each other’s safety.

It was mutual though, she realized. She had been worried about him, just as he had been worried about her. After all, he had yanked his glove off in the middle of the cold just to check that she wasn’t bleeding.

What a pair they made.

She woke to the sound of his voice. He must have been talking to himself, because she reached consciousness in the middled of a sentence.

"…would think that I’d be better about this kind of stuff, wouldn’t you?"

Cassandra didn’t move, didn’t open her eyes, though knew immediately that she was intruding on something.

"Varric Tethras, famed writer, spends a night with… with her curled up in his arms, and still can’t say more than ‘it will make a good story.’ Figures."

She felt her breath tighten, though she was still too tired to put his words together properly. Instead, she flitted around them, trying to understand the pieces.

Varric sighed, and she felt the breath leave him, soft and surrendering.

Cassandra opened her eyes.

It was daylight, and judging by the rumbles that still reverberated around them, the dragon had spent the night asleep as well.

Stretching her stiff legs out in front of her, Cassandra sat up as best she could.

"Sleep well, Seeker?"

"Well enough." She paused, glancing over. She couldn’t twist her head far enough to properly see Varric’s face, though she wished she could. Maybe if she could just look at him, she would be able to grab hold of things.

Instead, she began to move herself out from where she was tucked in against the rocks, scooting forward far enough that she could kneel forward, then crawl all the way out and stand up. Varric followed a moment later, having a much easier time of it.

She watched him, but any trace of what she had heard minutes ago was gone, swept away by his usual cocksure grin.

"So what now? Are we going to saddle that thing and ride it home?"

"Perhaps that will be our back-up plan. For now, we should continue forward. If we can find the road, we can get in contact with the Inquisition."

Varric followed her lead, and they shuffled out together, throwing one last look towards the sleeping dragon.

"Well, I have to give her some credit," Varric finally said, as they stood at the edge of the doorway. "She may be a giant, deadly fire monster, but at least she doesn’t snore as loudly as you do."

"I do not-" Cassandra began, louder than she meant to. She stopped, and finished more quietly, "snore."

Varric walked off, chuckling to himself. Cassandra watched him, biting her lip. If he’d meant what she thought he might with his mutterings, then it…

She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. It gave her some things to think about.

But not here, not now. They may have survived the night, but they were hardly safe. Whatever questions she had to ask him, and perhaps answer for herself, would have to wait.

"You done saying your goodbyes, Seeker?" Varric called back to her. "Should I give you two a minute?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes, biting back a retort and jogging to catch up with him.

When they were safe back at Skyhold, then maybe…

Well, she’d just have to see what happened.


End file.
